Background and Role and Mission of the HoB

The HoB is a site to assist educators and others who want to learn and help others learn.

Relax, browse, take your time, explore, think, select, and hopefully the time you spend will be rewarded.

Information in the site may be used freely to facilitate learning that is not for profit. Any use of the information for profit requires permission.

What's with the name?

I wanted a name that was intriguing and had a meaning related to the purpose of the web site. I thought of center, mall, central location, town center, market, wheel, spokes, support and they didn't seem to fit what I was seeking. I thought about learning, discovery, exploration, inquiry, and ferret. The idea of ferret intrigued me and I looked for synonyms and found hob. Its definitions include:

A domesticated, usually albino form of polecat, often trained to hunt rats or rabbits. A weasel like mammal.

To drive out. To uncover and bring to light by searching: ferret out an understanding. To search intensively.

A shelf or projection in a fireplace or on the side of the grate to keep food warm, In England the top part of the stove where the pans are heated, a stove top. The hob has four burners.

A nickname for Robert or Robin.

A tool used to cut teeth like on a gear. A threaded and fluted hardened steel cutter, resembling a tap, used in a lathe for forming the teeth of screw chasers, worm wheels, etc.

An alternative for hub. The hub of a wheel.

A hobgoblin, elf, fairy, sprite. From elves, hobs, and fairies.

A countryman; a rustic; a clown.

Mischief and trouble. Always raising hob.

A male ferret.

I am not sure how my meaning of HoB will evolve, but I am intrigued with the possibilities. The hub of the wheel, the center - a place to communicate ideas that are ferreted out of experiences with learning and facilitating learning. Other ideas of hobgoblins, elves, raising mischief, rustic countryman, clown, place to warm, and of course a nickname for Robert all offer intrigue.

Other Possible Acronyms

Helping Others Be

Higher Order of Beasts

Home Of Bob - and this is the domain name, because it was available and School of Bob, because there was a two for one special at the time.

Ferrets

The black-footed ferret is endangered and is native to North America. Black-footed ferrets once numbered in the tens of thousands, but were near extinction in the 1960s. Still endangered, their numbers have been increasing. See Defenders of Wild life for more.

A domestic ferret is another species derived from the European polecat, related to the weasel.

Disclaimer

Everything on this site is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered complete, up to date, or used in place of any professsional advice (legal, medical, ...) other than educational.